Coping Hurts
by Toltec Spirit
Summary: When someone dear to Blu and Jewel doesn't turn out to be what they expected, it throws their lives completely out of whack. But amidst all the heartbreak and sadness, they find plenty of reasons to be happy. And so does that special someone they brought into the world.


**A/N: Just a random one-shot that came to me one day recently. Part of a so-called "trio" that I will be uploading.**

**I am getting over-run by one-shot ideas! Please help!**

**Read and review, if you wish.**

**Enjoy, everyone!**

* * *

**Coping Hurts**

In the snow-kissed community of Moose Lake, Minnesota sat a tiny bookstore known as Blue Macaw Books. Inside the cozy shop sat a mated couple of superbly-attractive macaws. Spix's Macaws, to be exact.

Having been blessed with their first child, one they had craved since their romantic union – and the fact that they were the favorite companions of a certain married human couple – they had every reason in the world to be happy and appreciate the wonders of life.

But no, there was frost in their hearts as cold as the winter night and as sharp as the icicles dangling from the eaves of the shop.

Due to the cruel machinations of fate, the male chick entered the world with a severe physical flaw. Whether it was a fluke of nature or the end result of a chance error is his DNA sequence, he had been born four months ago with a crippling defect.

The proud parents could immediately tell that something was amiss by the way their naked son searched aimlessly in the nest that was his cradle, his movements cautious and reserved. Upon hearing his parents' voices, he gazed at them, and the blank look in his eyes stabbed a honed blade of pure dread straight through their souls.

The wound left behind in his mother's and father's spirits had still not healed, and they were certain it never would.

Their dear friend Tulio, a highly-seasoned ornithologist, examined the hatchling not a day after he escaped his shell, and the prognosis he announced when he was finished all but crushed the adult macaws. No amount of expertise or surgical intervention would correct his terrible defect; he was destined to live a life in which he required constant attention and supervision until he could adapt and thrive on his own.

His parents were tasked with tending to his every want and need, as they imagined he would never be able to fly; even walking around could prove perilous to him, especially in an unfamiliar location. He had grown in both body and mind since his hatching, but his forever-tarnished life meant that he was still a baby, in a sense.

The adventurous streak he had inherited from his mother had been tempered by his disability, a trait also muted by the many bumps and bruises he suffered while trying to explore his surroundings in his hampered state.

Technically, one-fifth of the majesty of Earth had been denied to him, the colors and textures that painted the planet eternally hidden. And even more tragic, he could only recognize his parents from the way they felt when he touched them, the way they smelled when he was near them, and the way they sounded when they spoke to him.

Oh how sorely he wished he could study the physical features of his caretakers, to simply obtain one glimpse of them, even if it was the first and last glimpse he would ever be granted.

But no amount of pleading on his part would ever be enough to transform him into a "normal" macaw.

He had often asked his parents the burning question of "Why?" but the only response they could provide was in the form of tears. He eventually stopped searching for the answer, the sobbing of his creators too much for his tiny heart to bear.

Even though he had learned to accept the fact that he had been made that way for a reason, there were many nights when he cried and cried until he fell asleep. That chilling November evening, one such episode of grieving is what had tossed him into a deep slumber.

He was upstairs in the bedroom of Linda, his father's owner, and had been for several hours since passing into the realm of unconsciousness.

His mother and father had remained downstairs, passing the time by staring out the window as the oak clock on the wall ticked the aging day away. Few words were exchanged between them, though they remained close together, reveling in the peacefulness of the setting.

A dozen or so candles were spaced around the room in whatever safe spots were available, well away from the bookshelves and other flammable materials. The rich, delectable odors of apples-and-cinnamon and French vanilla hung in the warm air, soothing the macaws and providing a heavenly contrast to the unforgiving weather that gripped the town.

They snuggled and kissed gently every so often, their minds wandering idly as they switched their focus from the tumbling snowflakes to each other, and back again. One could have heard a fine pin drop or a mouse scurry across the floor, a testament to the solid silence cloaking the interior of the venue.

But that very silence was unceremoniously broken by whimpering, fragmented speech.

"M-Mommy? D-Daddy? Where a-are y-you?"

The full-grown birds turned wordlessly on the counter in front of the glass pane and peered towards the spiral staircase good ten or so feet away. A navy bundle of feathers stood on the top step, rubbing his eyes with his wings as he sniffled pitifully.

The male, Blu, locked eyes with the female, Jewel, for a split second, and then hustled over to his child with a few resolute wing-beats. Touching down on the step below, Blu folded his wings in and parted the halves of his beak.

"Samuel, what's wrong?" he asked quietly, petulantly.

Still scrubbing his eyes and weeping, Samuel replied, "I… I had a nightmare… Daddy. It… scared me. I want you and Mommy… to hold me…"

Blu reached out with his wings and wrapped them around his son, bringing him up against his chest in a comforting position.

"Shhh, it's alright, son. Everything is going to be fine. Your mother and I will make you feel better."

Blu carefully hopped down the stairs and waddled over to the counter, Samuel held firm in his embrace. Upon arriving at the base, he set his son down long enough to grasp him with his feet and hoist him up the rest of the way.

When both pairs of feet had made contact with the sturdy cherry wood, Samuel sniffled one last time and opened his eyes. He swiveled his head this way and that, his amber irises scanning pointlessly.

He sniffed the air a few times, picking up the unique fragrance wafting from Jewel's plumage. He plodded discreetly to the source, nuzzling himself into the belly feathers of his mother.

He unfurled his wings and hugged her midsection, his body trembling from the lingering horror of his nightmare.

"I was… so scared… Mommy. I could hear… monsters… but I couldn't see them. And they… were chasing me…" he stuttered.

Jewel rested her right wing upon his back and stroked his spine in a calming rhythm.

"There there, sweetie. The monsters are gone for good. You're safe with us now."

Samuel's quaking slowed to a drawn-out stop, the emotional soothing of his mother's touch proving too much for his bad dream. He stepped back one pace and craned his head back, his ghostly stare locking with Jewel's tranquil one.

"Thank you for helping me, Mommy. I love you."

Her heart melted into runny fluid, and she leaned over to kiss Samuel between his defunct eyes. Upon returning to her full height, she said, "You're welcome, and I love you too, son."

With that, Samuel revolved slowly around and inhaled the air, picking up the masculine scent of his father. He trudged over to his father and hugged his pudgy stomach as well, Samuel's face titillated by the fuzzy plumage.

He glanced up at Blu and whispered serenely, "Don't forget that I love you too, Daddy."

Blu smiled and patted his child's back.

"Such a thing is not possible, Samuel. As you will always cherish me, I will always cherish you."

With that, the blind male spun ninety degrees and ambled on, in the direction of the bookstore's glass window that he instinctively knew was there. He stretched his wings out ahead of him, ceasing his motion when he felt them bump into it.

He rubbed the pane with them, and briefly pressed his cheek up against the chilled surface. He then lowered his wings and hopped once in reverse, tilting his head in a manner that signified his curiosity had been piqued.

"Mommy, Daddy, is it snowing outside? I can hear the snowflakes go tap, tap, tap on the glass."

Blu and Jewel scooted in on either side of their son, the senior male replying, "It is indeed snowing, Samuel. That was a very wise observation."

He bobbed his head in approval, and then cocked his skull in the other direction.

"Is it beautiful and soft like you, Mommy?"

Jewel blinked in recognition of the pleasing question, her beak curving into a somber smile.

"It sure is, son. Your father may disagree, but I think it's even more attractive than I am."

Samuel squinted as he fabricated the image in his mind, replicating the local scenery and weather to the best of his ability. He conjured up a fairly accurate representation, but it would never be able to match the artistry of Earth that the miracle of sight provided.

He sighed and mumbled, "If only I wasn't blind, I could see for myself what true beauty is. If only I was born normal…"

Samuel contacted the crystallized wall with his flying appendages and cheek once more, a gesture of unquenchable longing and unfulfilled desire. Moments later, he felt something brush over his body, accompanied by the sobbing of none other than his female creator.

He turned and located the tips of her tail plumes, the objects which had swept over him. He seized them tenderly with his wings and tugged harmlessly, hoping to gain his weeping mother's attention.

"Mommy, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Her tears made a _pit-pat _sound as they struck the countertop and left behind mahogany blotches upon the light brown wood. She did not acknowledge him, save for her despairing reply.

"Samuel… I can't… deal with this. You'll never see the planet… as it is meant to be seen… and it's killing me. You never deserved… to be born blind…"

She unfurled her glossy wings and lifted off into a wobbly flight.

"Jewel, wait. Don't go."

She ignored her mate and surmounted the protective railing next to the stairwell, banking left and vanishing into the second floor hallway.

"Oh Jewel…"

Blu faced his shocked son and ordered, "Stay here, Samuel. Your mother is hurting, and I am going to try and ease her pain…"

Blu threw himself into the air and traced Jewel's imaginary path of misery. After hearing his father's wing-beats dissipate into silence, he slumped into a sitting position, defeated and poisoned by shame.

He concluded it was his fault he had upset his mother, and his empty gut twisted with remorse.

Yet again, he realized his thirst for information came with the price of one broken heart, and this time, it was his mother's.

To no one but himself he croaked, "I'm so sorry, Mommy. I wasn't trying to make you sad. I was just… oh Mommy…"

* * *

Blu sailed in through the wide open door of Linda's bedroom, spotting an unmistakable azure female lying on his owner's tidy bed. He plopped heavily onto the plush comforter and inched over to Jewel, who had her back to him.

She had swaddled herself with her wings as if she was cold, her tormented moans inciting a soul-deep ache in him.

"I know you're sad, honey, but please-"

"You shouldn't l-leave him… d-down there… all alone. He could… fall and g-get h-hurt. He n-needs you… more t-than I do… so j-just go…"

Blu massaged Jewel's left wing with his own, replying firmly yet quietly, "I told him to stay put. He'll be fine. And you know that's not true."

He circumvented her, stepping over her tail and planting himself in front of her chest. She promptly stuffed her face into the thick comforter and bawled some more, not wanting her mate to see her unpleasant visage.

"Jewel, I can't bear to see you like this. Will you please stop crying?"

She rocked her head from side to side, and then exposed her beak enough so that she could speak, and no more.

"Blu… you d-don't… understand. He is… my s-son. He c-came from… inside me. We share… a unique connection… and since he's blind… it causes m-me _so much _a-agony…"

Jewel twisted her neck and secreted her pitiful expression from him, quivering as she released a muted explosion of tears and noise.

Blu gave a leaden sigh and lowered himself onto his left side, mirroring the pose of his mate. He wormed his way closer until only a few inches of air separated their bodies, draping his right wing over her like a protective blanket.

"You're right, honey, I will never understand the extreme discomfort of a mother who ended up with a less-than-perfect child. But he is my son too, and there is no doubt that his unfixable disability tears me up inside. I know all too well that coping hurts, but you and I are mates, and we are hurting together."

His last sentence was the proverbial icing on the cake, his last confession that would hopefully patch her mood.

"My beautiful Jewel, you are tougher than this. You are a fighter, not a weakling. Don't pretend to be someone you're not. Please, Jewel, show your true character and do not let Samuel's condition affect you like this."

The silence crept in as she hushed herself, exposing her reddened eyes and sharing an emotion-filled stare with him, one to end all stares. She huffed and puffed to regain her breath, experiencing a strange feeling of reassurance flowing out of him that she never had before.

"Blu… I… I…"

The pitter-patter of tiny feet intruded upon their senses, followed by the forlorn struggles of the only other being in the bookstore.

Blu witnessed a small miracle as a bereaved chick pulled himself onto the edge of the bed, climbing over his mother's neck and throwing himself down into the space between their chests.

He faced her, the one he had inadvertently made blue, and spluttered, "Mommy… I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to make… you cry…"

Jewel released her final snivel, and then proceeded to smother her son with her left wing and drag him to her plump chest.

She kissed the top of his head and murmured, "Oh Samuel… it's alright. I was crying because… you're my son… and I love you… too much for words. It wasn't your fault. You're a… curious little boy… just like your father…"

"Are you gonna be alright, Mommy?" he queried, sensing the pulsing of her youthful heart.

"Yes, son… I will be. Don't worry… anymore…"

"Okay. I love you, Mommy."

"As do I, Samuel. Never forget that…"

He replied by curling himself up and snuggling into her chest, poking his head out so that he could breathe normally.

Blu reached over and patted his son's head, saying, "I love you too, Samuel. I also want you to remember this: So long as your mother and I are alive, we will help you through each and every problem life throws your way. You will never be alone, you will never be helpless, and you will always be treasured."

Samuel failed to respond, having already taken a temporary trip to dreamland due the sound of Jewel's nearby heart.

Jewel whispered, "He's so much like you" as she watched his chest puff out and deflate repeatedly.

"But he's got a little bit of 'angel' in him too…"

Blu and Jewel locked eyes, shared a passionate kiss above Samuel's sleepy head, and then lay their heads on the pillow. Within a minute, their drowsiness overtook them both.

And so it was that they visited their own slices of unconscious heaven, not the least bit afraid of the future that would unfold.

Samuel may have been knocked down by his congenital blindness, but with a pair of overseers like Blu and Jewel there to nurture him, nothing on Earth could knock him out.

* * *

There I was, basking in the sunshine as the calm, tingly breeze skimmed through my feathers. My nonexistent sense of sight meant nothing, as I could evaluate the wonders of this planet with my fortified physical abilities.

I could smell the salty tang of the bay far ahead of me.

I could feel the warm pockets of air bubbling up the sheer cliff face a few feet from where I stood.

I could sense my parents behind me, charged with eagerness to see me take to the sky for the very first time in my life.

And best of all, I could feel Brooklyn's soft wing on my back, at the ready to give me one resolute push and send me over the edge.

It's hard to imagine that I would be where I am today without Mom and Dad, but I could not ignore the fact that my sweet Brooklyn played a major part as well. She was my girlfriend of one full year now, and it is safe to say that she made my life brighter since the day we met. The circumstances that brought us together were certainly odd, but they were so amusing that I chuckled every time I reminisced.

And reminisce is exactly what I did before I opened my wings for flight.

Twelve months ago, I had come across a fancy Hyacinth Macaw named Jasmine while spending the day at a local pond in the jungle. Evaluating her in the absence of sight, my impression of her was that she was a kind, caring female, and I made an effort to further my infatuation with her.

I had let my hormonal drive and foolish search for romantic company get the best of me, and I paid the emotional price – which doesn't seem too high in hindsight. Utterly humiliated and ashamed was I when she laughed a hearty laugh and admitted that not only was she three times my age, she was a mate and a mother to boot.

I hastily apologized as I blushed, my cheeks bursting into proverbial flame.

She was not offended by my perception of her, telling me that she was quite flattered by my opinion. When I clarified that my mistake was because of my blindness, she was stunned.

She practically interrogated me about my life, my family, and my condition, and I answered to the best of my abilities. When all was said and done, she decided to befriend me, turning our fiasco into an event most positive.

She offered to escort me to her home so that I could acquaint myself with her mate, son, and daughter, and it would have been unfair of me to refuse. The meet-and-greet played out well, after Jasmine's family came to terms with my shocking disability.

And that was when my existence was flipped upside-down.

From the moment I heard her voice and was graced by her touch, I spun head-over-tail for Brooklyn. Call me a stereotypical and predictable male, but it was love at first sight for me – metaphorically speaking, obviously.

I guess destiny wanted to oblige me like it had done all those years ago, when it brought Mom and Dad together.

Granted, I started things off slow and steady, not wanting to present myself as a needy and obsessive male. Platonic companions she and I were for a good five months, learning and experiencing so much about each other that an extensive documentary would be needed to retell our tale.

My attachment to her and the affection I showed when I was around peaked around that time, and it was then that I decided I wanted to elevate our relationship to the next level of seriousness.

To this day, I am amazed how I survived the explosion of my heart when she accepted my offer.

She never thought any less of me because of my blindness, my cautious style of living as a result, or my hesitance when it came to undertaking something new. And to be fair, I never once was judgmental of her tomboyish attitude – she honestly reminded me of Mom – her intimidating courage, or her eccentric mannerisms.

Seven months later, none of that has changed for either of us.

I would be lying through my beak if I claimed I didn't love her as much as Dad loved Mom, frankly. My enchantment with her was almost too much to register, like a magnitude ten-point-five earthquake of adoration, and I was eternally grateful that it would never diminish.

A family would come in time, yes, but that was in the near future. I had yet to "pop the question," but I figured it was best if I conquered my disability first, _right here_ and _right now_.

I twisted my head and stared at Brooklyn, who was right behind me, a signal that she comprehended immediately.

"Believe in _yourself_, Sam, because _I_ believe in you. Don't hold back, and soar as high as the clouds."

I kissed her briefly between the eyes, and then she shoved me forwards with her wing. I glued my wings against my sides as I plummeted faster and faster, the wind now screaming in my ears as I dived.

I fought off the instincts to fly for as long as possible, calling upon my twelve months of training courtesy of my parents. They had spent countless hours of time and insane amounts of effort to prepare me for this defining moment in my life, and my chance of failure was locked in at zero percent. I thought of how proud of me my parents would be when they saw me flying, and of how many kisses Brooklyn would coat me with when I landed.

In that instant, I snapped my wings open, slowed my blistering descent, immersed myself in a thermal… and flapped.

Up and up and up I traveled, having no fear of hitting anything or losing control. I pushed myself higher and higher, rocketing past the level surface of the massive cliff only ten seconds after my tumble.

I squawked with endless enthusiasm, the achievement of flying while blind supercharging me with energy. I heard my parents squawk back and Brooklyn cheer, their words racing to catch me.

As I tilted my face to the unreachable sun and zoomed for the clouds, ultimate freedom was now mine.

I may have been blind, but in that moment of realization and bliss, I had seen the light of a fiery future erupt before me. And it was into that stunning radiance that I hurled myself, piercing it straight to the core while adrift on navy wings…

* * *

I could discern by the sniffles they were making that my parents were spewing forth proud tears, unable to restrain their emotions. They squeezed me half-to-death, but I did not protest. I squeezed them back, and who in the heck knows for how long we huddled.

When they handed me my personal space back, they showered me with soggy congratulations and compliments, and every single word was audible when Brooklyn embraced me from the front and compressed my chest into hers, she too captivated me with a single phrase, spoke in that magical tone of hers.

"Samuel… you did it. You, a blind bird, flew like an expert. You flew as good any of us ever could, and ever will."

I blushed and replied sarcastically, "Heh, I did, didn't I?"

I then trained my sightless gaze on where her face was, and stared her dead in the eyes.

"I hold you partly responsible, my pretty Brooklyn. You gave me strength whenever I needed it, just like my Mom and Dad, and I love you so much."

"Oh Samuel… I love you too. Now that we can shred the skies side by side, I'll never let you go. I promise."

We shared a drawn-out kiss, bloated with rapture and zeal, and I was determined to tie a knot in the last loose thread in the fabric of our lives. Breaking the kiss and grabbing her wings with my own, I inhaled, and poured my soul out to her.

"Brooklyn, I can't wait any longer. I feel as though I might burst if I hold my desires in one more day. Brooklyn… I want to spend the rest of my sunrises and sunsets with you. I want to hold you when you're sad, dance with you when you're happy, and show my bottomless love for you every chance I get."

I paused for a split-second, and then squawked my confession.

"My charming Brooklyn… I want to become your mate… to be yours forever. Will you grant me that honor?"

"Samuel… I… I…" she stuttered, her voice cracking.

"I will."

She lurched forwards and tackled me to the stony ground, kissing me more deeply than she ever had before, just to prove that she wanted to be mine forever and ever too.

As she dined on me and titillated me from head to tail with her marvelous, feathery touch, I heard my Mom chuckle and sniffle at the same time.

"Oh no… now we've got… a huge problem… on our wings. What are we… gonna tell… her parents?"

My Dad remarked, "We'll think of something… honey. This is… a fairy tale of love… of hardship… of strife… of joy. Our son is… all grown up now… with a mate… he can depend on… and the perfect mother… for their kids. Their story… is so much like ours… it's almost unreal."

"_Almost_, Blu. _Almost_."

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